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IHOP, the International House of Pancakes, and Applebee’s, the neighborhood grill and bar, may be joining forces for a hybrid dining room experience in the near future. Dine Brands CEO discussed the details with Nation’s Restaurant News.
An update on the concept was announced during a recent earnings call with both IHOP, and Applebee’s parent company Dine Brands…confirming the very real possibility of a team-up between the two chains in a US launch of the dual-branded restaurant.
Dine Brands, CEO John Peyton said there’s already 8 “prototypes” testing the waters internationally, with the newest Applebee’s-IHOP restaurant being in Leon, Mexico.
As far as an estimated date on when this could come to fruition, Peyton said it’ll happen when they “find the right opportunity to introduce it”. He added an approximate guess saying, 12-24 months: “It’s a fantastic opportunity because the two brands are complementary.”
What Would A “Dual-Branded” Applebee’s & IHOP Look Like?
- Discrete entrances to encourage guests to flow between the two restaurants
- Shared back of house space
- When IHOP experiences a “rush” during breakfast hours, the house of pancakes can seat guests in Applebee’s sitting area. And Applebee’s can do the same during “dinner” hour.
- Separate branding on storefronts
- Open-layout dining areas with loosely defined dining areas
- A shared kitchen
The international success of the dual-branded restaurant is a great sign of things to come on the concept, and reportedly generating twice as much revenue than a stand-alone…definite incentive to move the operation into the United States.
Peyton made another statement to FOX Television Stations: “We will continue to monitor the success of this test concept and will consider options for further expansion in the U.S. in select locations.”
